Backpack when climbing Mount Katahdin

[Kulliman]

What is typical for the last stretch of a NoBo AT Thru hike when you get to the base of mount Katahdin - where do you stay/camp and where do you leave your backpack (I'm assuming you don't take all your gear with you up the mountain .. or do you?)?

[peakbagger]

Pretty simple, leave your pack on the porch at the Katahdin Stream Campground rangers headquarters, sign the last register and borrow a daypack that are kept there. When you come down drop off the daypack, sign the register that you have come down and grab your pack. Unless someone is meeting you the AT lodge runs a shuttle to Millinocket in the afternoon. Alternatively have a campsite booked at KSC. Note more than a few thruhikers insist on carrying their pack to the summit. It can be done but it really can get in the way through the boulder section of of the Hunt Trail. If you are planning to come down via another trail then carry your pack up unless the person you are getting a ride from is willing to drive back to KSC.

[MuddyWaters]

If your pack is 30 lbs, by all means take a loaner pack.

If its 10 lbs, it dont matter.
You can leave uneeded gear or food (sobo) in packliner ( garbage bag) at the rangers. Label it "not garbage!"

[Kulliman]

If your pack is 30 lbs, by all means take a loaner pack.

If its 10 lbs, it dont matter.
You can leave uneeded gear in packliner ( garbage bag) at the rangers. Label it "not garbage!"
Great! I have a Zpacks Arc haul backpack with the Zpacks liner. I also have a very lightweight and compact Sea-to-summit daypack that doubles as a stuff sack and shopping bag. It sounds like I have options. Thanks for the info!

[Kulliman]

Pretty simple, leave your pack on the porch at the Katahdin Stream Campground rangers headquarters, sign the last register and borrow a daypack that are kept there. When you come down drop off the daypack, sign the register that you have come down and grab your pack. Unless someone is meeting you the AT lodge runs a shuttle to Millinocket in the afternoon. Alternatively have a campsite booked at KSC. Note more than a few thruhikers insist on carrying their pack to the summit. It can be done but it really can get in the way through the boulder section of of the Hunt Trail. If you are planning to come down via another trail then carry your pack up unless the person you are getting a ride from is willing to drive back to KSC.

That is simple and very convenient! Thanks for the info, peakbagger!

[Kulliman]

... have a campsite booked at KSC...

I've read that often sometimes the campsite gets booked up. can I/should I call a day or two ahead for a reservation?

[peakbagger]

uh-oh (alarm bells going off). If you are asking this question it means you have lot of research to do. There is a sticky for Nobos and Sobos. Yes, Katahdin Stream Campground books up full on a frequent basis and is very popular there is no stealth camping in the park. If you know what dates you want you need to go on the BSP website and look up the dates on the online reservation system and book them now. If someone is giving you a ride you have the option of a couple of campgrounds to chose from but if you are NoBo then your only option is to check the reservations in Monson with the ATC staff that are stationed in town. The alternative is to take a chance on one of the slots at the Birches. These tend to fill up quickly every day from about Sept 1st until park closing date. The Birches are not available to Sobos.

[MuddyWaters]

Great! I have a Zpacks Arc haul backpack with the Zpacks liner. I also have a very lightweight and compact Sea-to-summit daypack that doubles as a stuff sack and shopping bag. It sounds like I have options. Thanks for the info!

Yep, your backpack is lighter than most daypacks.....just stash gear/food ksc rangers is an approach.

[Lone Wolf]

What is typical for the last stretch of a NoBo AT Thru hike when you get to the base of mount Katahdin - where do you stay/camp and where do you leave your backpack (I'm assuming you don't take all your gear with you up the mountain .. or do you?)?

i always took my pack up with me. why wouldn't you?

[BuckeyeBill]

If it were me I would call 1-2 weeks ahead, it fills up fast. Good Luck.

[TJ aka Teej]

Hi Kulliman, your questions are answered here:

The Nobo’s guide to Baxter and Katahdin for 2018 (https://baxterinfo.wordpress.com/2017/10/14/the-nobos-guide-to-baxter-and-katahdin-for-2018/)

[Bansko]

Yep, your backpack is lighter than most daypacks.....just stash gear/food ksc rangers is an approach.
That's what I did. There were some heavy duty trash bags some people had left so I just tossed the stuff I didn't need in one and carried my much lighter pack. I saw no reason to carry a 28 lb. pack up and down Katahdin, and I'm glad I didn't.

[skinnbones]

i always took my pack up with me. why wouldn't you?When I get to the point where I'll finish the A.T. I'm taking my full pack with me. The way I see it, my pack earned the right to see the end too.

[Slo-go'en]

When I get to the point where I'll finish the A.T. I'm taking my full pack with me. The way I see it, my pack earned the right to see the end too.

You will no doubt quickly regret that decision

[Lone Wolf]

You will no doubt quickly regret that decision

no he won't

[peakbagger]

It depends, a nice sunny calm day during the week with someone meeting the thru hiker at the bottom, haul up the backpack and take your time. On the other hand, I find some thru hikers a bit stressed that they need to get down early to get on the shuttle and in general in a rush to get to the summit. A full backpack will slow them down relative to their normal pace in the boulder field. In windy conditions its best to head up with pack with a small surface area as the wind can really catch on larger pack. Its a decision I expect most folks dont worry about until the night before.

Realistically if I had someone meeting me, if it was a nice calm day predicted, I would have them meet me on the East side of the mountain at Roaring Brook and ditch the backpack so I could do the Knife Edge or Hamlin Ridge down. The Knife Edge can be done with a backpack but it generally requires taking the pack off and handing it down in one tight spot and cut down a bit on the scrambling options.

[Bansko]

It depends, a nice sunny calm day during the week with someone meeting the thru hiker at the bottom, haul up the backpack and take your time. On the other hand, I find some thru hikers a bit stressed that they need to get down early to get on the shuttle and in general in a rush to get to the summit.
You are right, it depends. I had to start my day at Abol Bridge, get up and down Katahdin, then hitch a ride to Millinocket. There was no way I was taking a full pack up Mt. Katahdin. Again, I'm glad I didn't. Some of the middle section, particularly when it becomes climbing, not walking, is best done with a light pack. I would never judge anyone who wanted to take a full overnight kit up and down though.

[BuckeyeBill]

I tend to agree with shinnbones and Lone Wolf. I carried that pack for every mile to get down to the last 5 miles. To not take it with me just doesn't seem right.

[Lone Wolf]

I tend to agree with shinnbones and Lone Wolf. I carried that pack for every mile to get down to the last 5 miles. To not take it with me just doesn't seem right.

most thru-hikers slackpack a lot these days so that sentiment means nothing

[BuckeyeBill]

I'm not most thru-hikers.

[Lone Wolf]

I'm not most thru-hikers.

nor i. i've never slackpacked

[PaulWorksHard]

I sort of figured I carried my pack up the approach trail, all the way from springer to KSC, i could carry it another 10 miles (roundtrip Katahdin - KSC). My base weight was about 11 pounds so I carried about 14 pounds up to the peak. However, coming down was not fun, my knees were groaning the whole way. As I remember, there were one or two sites (besides the birches) that were in KSC that were first come, first served and they were empty on 9/27/16. But a couple of us had already reserved a site at KSC.

[rickb]

nor i. i've never slackpacked
I carried 11 days of food up and over, like a real man.

[Lone Wolf]

I carried 11 days of food up and over, like a real man.

and why wouldn't you after 2100 miles? it's just walkin'. 10 more miles ain't jack

[garlic08]

After my hike, I was averse to turning around so I kept hiking north down to Chimney Pond and out to Roaring Brook TH, where it was easy to Yogi a ride to town. So I carried the backpack, though at that point, out of food, it was very light. It felt pretty good to be hiking off the AT for a few miles, after seeing so many white blazes for so long.

[Zed]

I had a ride picking me up at Roaring Brook so I carried my pack up, then down the Cathedral Trail. I survived. The pack and my rain pants needed small patches after a slip and fall on a slab of rock.

[peakbagger]

I expect the down climb down Cathedral trail was quite "interesting" I think I would do the Knife Edge over a down climb of Cathedral unless it was windy. Realistically I expect the chance of loosening up rocks onto people downslope is probably the biggest issue.

No matter how you head east and down off the summit its surprising how so many thru hikers skip that side of the mountain while they are there for possibly the only time of their life.

[Zed]

Knife edge was the original plan, but weather wouldn't allow it. No one passed me on their way up Cathedral and one group of 6 20 somethings blew past me on their way down. I'll admit, there were a few times where I questioned my sanity, but slow and easy got me where I was going with minimal drama.

[Seatbelt]

most thru-hikers slackpack a lot these days so that sentiment means nothing

This is what I am seeing on youtube videos and in trail journals. Heck, there is one guy that I doubt he is carryin a tent, I've never seen him use one yet. And he is in northern VA so far. All slackpacking, hostels, hotels, a shelter here and there.

[putts]

... its surprising how so many thru hikers skip that side of the mountain while they are there for possibly the only time of their life.

I've always thought that too. In my opinion, what is just beyond the AT terminus is more spectacular than anything along the white blazes. No complaints though, I enjoy the solitude over there.

[peakbagger]

I was on the east side at Roaring Brook last fall. A couple of years ago we did the Northern Peaks trail, we left Chimney Pond early on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend went up Hamlin Ridge and then took the Northern Peaks Trail (spectacular) didnt see anyone at all until we walked into Russel Pond. This year we are going up from Wassataquoik Lake to Davis Pond for an evening and then up over the NW plateau. The approaches from the east are down right crowded compared to the approaches from the North. Once you head north of Hamlin its rare to see anyone.

Its too bad thru hikers are in such a rush to head home, probably the best least crowded hiking in the east is just a couple of miles away from the summit sign.

[peakbagger]

Duplicate post

[BuckeyeBill]

nor i. i've never slackpacked

Lone Wolf we agree on a lot of things when it comes to taking a long walk off the beaten path.